Red Giant Flying Squirrel

About this species

Diet

Herbivore

Habitat

A wide variety of forest types, plantations and open habitats with scattered trees

Range

Southeast Asia north to the Himalaya and southern and central China

Litter size

1, rarely 2 young

The red giant flying squirrel, or common giant flying squirrel, is one of the largest arboreal squirrels. All populations have at least some reddish brown above and paler underparts, though colour varies a lot geographically. It is mostly nocturnal and glides between trees by spreading the patagium, the skin between its limbs; most glides are no longer than about 50 m. The tail is brown, often with a black tip, and the feet are blackish (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is found in many kinds of forest, in plantations and in more open habitats with scattered trees in Southeast Asia, north to the Himalaya and southern and central China. It is a herbivore and the female has one, rarely two, young per litter. Although declining locally through habitat loss and, less so, hunting, it is common overall. The Himalayan population, the white-bellied giant flying squirrel, is now often treated as a separate species (Wikipedia, general species account).

Description: Wildlife of India guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)